FEEDING cold, hungry birds and making hibernation homes for sleepy wildlife is all in a day’s work for Saltholme’s Ben Calvert.

But Ben, a visitor and promotions officer at RSPB’s Saltholme, says anyone can do their bit to help birds and wildlife this winter.

In fact, there is no better time to start.

“It’s always best to feed the birds all year round, it’s an extra help for them,” says Ben, who has worked at Saltholme, in Port Clarence, since it opened in January 2009.

“But winter is a critical time for them, from November to February/March. There are a lot of bird feeders available to buy and lots of different bird feed but there are also household leftovers that can be fed to birds too.

“It doesn’t always have to be really expensive to attract birds but if you can afford good quality bird feed then give them that too.

“Remember birds need a supply of water all year round.”

Helping birds and wildlife during winter is something families can do together, from setting up a bird feeding area to toddlers sprinkling grated cheese on bushes for hungry birds.

“Hedgehogs are about to start hibernating so why not provide a little home for them to stay during the winter?” suggests Ben, 25, from Hartlepool.

“You can get hedgehog houses, insect houses, bee homes or you can try making your own. It’s also a good opportunity to provide nesting boxes for birds now as they can use them as a shelter in winter to keep warm and then come back in spring to rear their chicks.

“We have a lot of foxes who come for food during the winter. They come right up to the window of the visitor centre. Old fruit is a really good food for foxes if you’d like to feed them at home.

“And people who are lucky enough to have badgers visiting them can put out some peanuts and peanut butter for them for when they venture out of their setts. Bird and wildlife care also make great Christmas presents. We sell a range of items in the shop including feeding hampers and bird feeders.”

The RSPB is also offering a free pack for anyone interested in finding out more about feeding garden birds and wildlife. It includes:

How, what and when to feed birds

Gardening and creating homes for wildlife

Bird ID guide

Activities including building a wildlife stack or making bird cake

To register for a pack and for more information visit rspb.org.uk/feedthebirds

DO FEED: Bird seed - use all year roundBiscuits - high in sugar and fat, great for birds during winterCheese - such as cheddar. Sprinkle on bushes and plantsBread - granary or wholemeal bread. Soak it first as it can expand in birds’ tiny tummiesPeanut butter or lard - spread it on to bread

DON’T FEED:Desiccated coconut - it can swell up when eaten by birds and kill themSalted peanuts - too much salt for birds

ENCOURAGE fledgling bird watchers with:BINOCULARS, available in orange or pink, £8, Early Learning Centre.THE RSPB Children’s Guide to Bird Watching by David Chandler and Mike Unwin, £6.99 - a great starter book for kids. Age 8-12.BIRD HOUSE with butterfly roof, now £10 at Past Times.

WHIZ up a dish for the birds with the RSPB’s recipes:

Crumble pastry maggotsPut 85g of flour in a bowl. Mix in 30g of lard or high-fat margarine with fingertips. Rub dry mixture into little pieces that look like maggots. Sprinkle on ground, bird table or bushes and flowerbeds

BirdcakeMelt or soften suet or lard in a pan. Mix in some or all of the following: seeds, nuts, dried fruits, finely chopped bacon rind. Place in a container with some string threaded through so that half the string is inside the container and half outside (for example a plastic cup). Cool, then hang in garden.

Suet and nut logFind a broken branch covered in rough bark and cut it into 50cm lengths. Drill holes of different sizes. Hammer hooks into the top of the branch. Fill the holes with peanuts, raisins, suet, sunflower seeds or kitchen leftovers. It’s then ready for hanging.